Metal-shaping machine



Nov. 113, w23. mmm@ Y F. E, BROWN METAL SHAPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4,1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 113, 923. 3,474,436@

' F. E. BROWN METAL SHAPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Nov.. i3, i923.

entre rre rannte 7PATENT @FFECO FREDERICK E. BROWN, OF PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T 'NATIONAL TUBE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METAL-sirenas MACHINE.

Application filed August 4, 1921. Serial No. 489,829.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMetal-Shaping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to power presses and more particularly to powerpresses of the type used in forming the hollow metal billets or blanksfrom which gas storage cylinders and similari containers are afterwardfabricated.

One object of my invention is the provision on a power press having ashaping plunger and coacting die of novel means whereby the shapingplunger and die cavity are alined axially and maintained in axialalinement during the metal shaping operations.

Another object of this invention is the provision on a power presshaving a shaping plunger and plunger operating ram of improved means forsecuring the plunger to the ram, whereby a limited vrelative lateralmovement between the shaping plunger and attached ram is effected, andaxial alinement of the plunger and a die during the blank shapingoperation is secured and maintained.

A further object of the invention is the provision on a ower presshaving a shaping plunger andp plunger actuating ram and a co-operatingd1e of improved means for securing the plunger to the ram, whereby 5said plunger is automatically alined and maintained in axial alinementwith the die in the blank shaping operations, and the production 'ofhollow cylindrical vessels is made possible, and the diiiiculties ex- 4@perienced heretofore in shaping such blanks are avoided and overcome.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the novelconstructions, arrangements, and combination of parts set forth in thefollowing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsforming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1; is a verticalsectional side elevation showing a hydraulic press for shaping billet-shaving my invention embodied there- Figure 2 is an end elevation, partlyin section, of the press of Figure 1.

In the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the base of the press whichsupports the lower ends of the rods or posts 3. The posts 3 extendupwardly through suitable apertures in a die table 4, this die tablebeing adjustably supported on said posts by means of collars 5 which arescrew threaded on the posts 3 and engagethe bottom face of said table 4.

A horizontally movable die carriage 6 is slidably mounted betweensuitable guides 7 on the top of the table 4 and carries two die blocks 8and 9 thereon.

The die blocks 8 and 9 are of duplicate construction, and thereforesimilar reference numerals are used to designate like parts thereof.

' The die blocks are secured tothe carriage 6 by bolts 10 and each dieblock is provided with a central recess for the reception of a die 11.An ejector pin 12 is mounted in the bottom of each die 11 and extendsdownwardly into a recess 13 in the die block which is in line with anaperture in the carriage 6. A series of guide pin sockets or apertures14 are formed in the die blocks for a purpose to be described.

The table 4 has an extension 15 at one side thereof to support anoperating cylinder 16 for the carriage 6. A hydraulic cylinder 16, ofthe double acting type, has its piston 17 secured to one end of thecarriage 6 and is provided to move the carriage 6 transversely on thetable 4l.

Stripper cylinders 18 at each end of the table 4 are mounted onstationar plungers 19, the cylinders moving upward y` into the recess 13to operatively engage the ejector pins 12 when the die blocks are movedinto blank discharging and receiving positions. lt will be readily seenthat the pierced blanks are easily and quickly discharged or ejectedfrom the holding dies through the medium of the stripper cylinders.

A single acting fluid pressure piercing cylinder 2O is mounted in asuitable crosshead 21 which is fastened to the upper ends of the tierods or posts 3, being held in position thereon by the' screw threadedcollars or nuts 22 and 23.

The cylinder 20 has a ram 24 mounted therein which is provided at itsupper end with a packing ring 24a, and has its lower end secured in across-head 25 which is slidably mounted on the guide rods or posts 3 topermit of vertical movement of the cross-head 25 toward and away fromthe die blocks 8 and 9. V

A plunger head 27 is loosely hung from .the cross-head 25 by bolts 28which pass through alined apertures 29 and 30 in the cross-head andplunger. The apertures 29 and 30 are of sl ghtly larger diameter thanthe bolts 28 so as to form a loose connection which will permit of' alimited lateral movement of the shaping plunger relative to thecross-head 25.

A centrally arranged spacing and contact-head 31 extends downwardly fromthe lower face of the cross-head 25, and has its lower face rounded soas to allow for a slight rocking movement as the plungerhead 27 alinesitself axially withrespect to the die.

The plunger-head 27 has a centrally arran ed shaping point or plunger 32and guide pins 32a extending downwardly therefrom, which tool and pinsare adapted to register with the cavity in the die 11 and the apertures14 in the die blocks 8 and 9, when such blocks are in position for theblank shaping operation.

The guide pins 32a are appreciably longer than the shaping point orplunger 32, and, therefore, .it willl be readily apparent that shouldthe plunger-head not be in exact axial alinement with the cavity in thedie, the head will be automatically moved by the pins 32a entering thesockets or apertures 14 1n advance of the shaping point entering thecavity of the die 11, since the plungerhead 27 due to its looseconnection with the cross-head 25 will readily move transverselyrelative to the cross-head 25.

The cross-head 25, ram 24 of the cylinder 20 and the plunger-head 27 aremoved into lifted position by a pair of return cylinders 35 which are ofthe single acting type, and have yokes 36 secured to the free ends oftheir pistons 37, the yokes havinv tie' rods 38 secured on the endsthereof. :Ille lower ends of the rods 38 are secured in sutable lugs 39on the cross-head 25, s0 that as fluid is supplied to the cylinders 35the pistons 37 are forced upwardly, and the rods 38 connecting the yokes36 to the cross-head 25 will lift t e cross-head, its ram 24, and theplunger-head 27.

The detailed operation of the device is as follows- The apparatus beingin the position shown in Figure 1, iiuid under pressure is admitted tothe cylinder 20, thus forcing down the piston 24, cross-head 25, andplunger-head 27. If, as often is the case. the plunger tool 32 is not inexact axial alinement with the cavity of the die 11, it will be alinedby the guides 32a which enter the sockets or apertures 14 in the dieblock prior to the entrance of' the shaping tool into the die 11. l

After the piston has moved its entire length, the apparatus is returnedto starting position by the cylinders 35. Fluid is admitted to thecylinders 35 which will force the lstons 37v upwardly, thus carrying theyo es 36 and rods 38 upwardly and lifting the cross-head 25,plunger-head 27, and piston 24 up into starting position.

lVhile I have shown only one embodiment of my invention, it will beunderstood I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various modiications and substitutions of equivalents may readily be made by thoseskilled in the art. It will be expressly understood that, if desired,the guide pins 32 may be mounted on the die block and be adapted toenter apertures in the plungerhead, that other flexible 0r loosemountings may be used for securing the plunger-head 27 to thecross-head25, that operating mechan'sms other than fluid pressure cylinders may beemployed, and that a stationary or rigid die block may be used insteadof the laterally movable die blocks 8 and 9.

Other changes in the design and combination of the parts may readily bemade without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in theappended claims.

1. In a metal shaping machine for forming one piece cylindrical vessels,the combination of a ram, a die block movable laterally relative to saidram, a metal shaping plunger mounted on and capable of uni-versalmovement relative to said ram, and guide rods secured to said plungerand adapted to co-operate with suitable guide openings in said die toinsure a fixed alinement of the shapingplunger with the die irrespectiveof the alinement of the ram therewith.

2. In a metal shaping machine for form-- ing one piece cylindricalvessels, the combination of a ram, a die block movable laterallyrelative to said ram, a shaping plunger hung loosely from said ram, anda plurality of guide rods mounted rigidly on the head of' said plunger,said plunger and guide rods being capable of lateral movement relativeto said ram, said die block being provided with a plurality of openings,and said guide rods belng of such length as to register and pass withinsaid guide openings before said plunger enters the cavity of said dieand to pass out of said openings during the up ward movement of saidplunger, and thereby insuring the axial alinement of said plunger withrespect to said die cavity.

3. In a metal shaping machine for forming one piece cylindrical vessels,the combination with a ram, a shaping plunger hung loosely from saidrain so as to have a limited universal movement relative to said ram,and a plurality of guide rods mounted rigidly on and projectingdownwardly from the head of said plunger, of a horizontally movable diecarriage mounted below said plunger, a plurality of die blocks mountedon said carriage, said carriage being adapted to be moved to locate saiddie blocks in substantial axial alinement with said plunger, each ofsaid die blocks being pro` vided with guide openings adapted to receivesaid guide rods, and said guide rods being of such length as to registerand pass within said guide openings .before said plunger enters the dieblock and to pass out oit' said openings during the upward move` nientof said plunger, thereby insuring the axial alinement of said plungerwith respect to 4said cavity.

4. In a metal shaping machine for forming one piece cylindrical vessels,the combination with a ram, a shaping plunger hung loosely from said ramso as to have a limited universal movement relative to said ram, and ahorizontally movable die earriage mounted below said plunger, aplurality of die blocks mounted on said carriage, said carriage beingadapted to be moved to locate said die blocks in substantial axialalinement With said plunger, of means adapted to be engaged with bothsaid plunger and said alined die block just prior to the entrance ofsaid plunger into said die block to automatically aline said plungerwith said die block.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand:

FREDERKCK E. BRGWN.

